Photographic developing machine



Feb 23, 1965 R. scHwAB ETAL PEoToGRAPHrc DEVELOPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, .1961

INVENToRs RUDOLF BIRK HELMUT KUFER BY RICHARD scHwAB Feb. 23, 1965 R. scHwAB ETAL PHoToGRAPHIc DEVELOPING MACHINE:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1961 NVENTORS RUDOLF BIBK HELMUT KAUFER RICHARD SCHWAB MIL/Lgf J. r//Cef United States Patent O 6 Claims. (ci. lsisssn It is accordingly one of the ,objects of the present invention to provide a structure which exposes very little of the treating liquid to vthe atmosphere and which enables those crystals which do form to be .quickly Washed away during -a `short period of time when the operations are started.

Furthermore, theobjects of .the invention include the provision of an extremely compact structure capab-le of being -incorporated without difficulty into existing developing machines without increasing the length thereof to provide liquid treatments in addition tothose conventionally provided. 1

Another object of the present vinvention is to provide a struc-ture which will'automatically regulate the ow .of

. treating liquid tothe light-sensitive material.

, An additional object of the vpresent invention is to pro- .vide a structure of the above type `which is -so reliable in Y' .operation thatno maintenance ,or supervision isrequired.

It is. also an object of the presentinvention to provide astructure capableV of accomplishing the above objects ,and at the same time composed of simple rugged elements 'which enable .thestructure .of the invention. to be provided atV 'an extremely low cost. f

Still anotherobject of the present invention is to pro-V .vide a structure .having components capable' of :being adjusted for controlling .thetreatment times of the various)v "treatingliquids Withthe above objects in View, theninvention includes,

3,170,382 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 ice FIG. l is a fragmentary transverse View of a developing machine, the section of FIG. 1 extending longitudinally vthrough a treating roll according to the invention to illus- .trate the details thereof, FIG. l also showing diagrammatically a supply means for supplying treating liquid to the treating roll of FIG.' l;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view showing in transverse section the treating roll ofthe invention;

FIG. 3fis a fragmentary longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale as compared to FIG. l, showing thewall structure of the treating roll of the invention;

` FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the manner in which the treating rolls of the invention are incorporated into a tank-type developing machine;

FlG. 5 is a diagramamtic illustration of one' .type of treating roll developing machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 diagrammatically illustrates a second embodi- 'ment of a roll-type developing machine according to the invention; and

FlG. 7 shows diagrammatically a third embodiment of a roll-type developing machine' according tothe invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a conventional tank-type developing machine 1 into which the structure Mof the inventionis incorporated. The machine 1 includes aplurality of baths 2 through which a strip 3, carrying light-sensitive material, is guided. The machine `l includes a plurality .of kguide rolls .4 which serve to guide the strip 3 through the several vbaths 2. The guide rolls d are supported for rotary movement by the side walls of the machine, and each guide roll d carries adjacent its ends sprocket wheelsso that a pair of endless Vsprocket chains 5 respectively located at both sides of the machine may bev guided over these sprocket wheels to turn the guide rolls any oneofwhich may be driven from a suit-z able rnotor so -as to be'rotated and so as to transmit the `drive through the chains 5 to the remaining guide rolls,

and in this way the'strip 3 is transportedthrough the several tanks. An unillustrated conventional bar extends between and is carried by the chains'S for movement therewith, and this bar carries a conventional clamp in. a machine for developing lightfsensitive. materials, a

holloiy--cylinder having a. perforated eylind'ricalivalla vA means isfprovided to' support the hollow cylinder for rotary movement aboutits axis. :A layer. of felt surrounds f v and engages the'perforated.cylindrical wall of the hollow cylinder.. AfcylindricaL- yieldable,` "perforated, gplasticvr sheet. surrounds andE engages the layer of'felt, so ltha-t a and ashaft 7 extendsliuidtightly through the axial bores the tanks. i A treating roll means t5 according Vto the present invenwhich grips an end .of the strip' 3 to pull the latter through tion is 'shown in FlG. .l located over one of the guide Arolls 4 closely adjacent and parallel thereto; .The treating roll means 6 includes ahollow cylinder composed of the end walls'Zll .and .the cylindricalwall 2 1wxed to and extending ybetween the .endwalls Ztl and formed `with theV perforations 72d which are distributed throughout the cylindrical Wall 21. The end walls 2l) areaxially bored j ofthe end walls Ztl, and the shaft7mayjbe vfixed to the end Walls The shaft 7 ihollow at its portion extendingA beyond the leftlend wall Ztlv of FIG. 1,V and the hollow por` tion ofthe shaft .'7 within` the cylinder 2i); Zlisform'ed treating liquidfsupplied to the interior of the hollow cylin i V'der will ow through the perforated fwajl-l thereofwintothe layer orfeltandL-fromf thelatter through the perforations of the plastic sheetto the exteriorsurfaceof the latter gto'be applied to lightsensitive `material engaging theexterior` .surface ofthe cylindrical plastic sheet. v i

The, novel features which are v.considered as characteristie for the-invention arejset forth in particular in the apr 4pended claims. The invention Vits elf, `hov`vever,`both as to .i Lits construction and its method of operation," together.

' with additional .objects and advantages thereof,v will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments. whennread'in connectionjwitll" the accom- `panying` drawings," in which: v

v with perforations 24. f A

A 'means is provided to support the'cylinderVZtL'ZlforfV rotation labdut its` axis, and this means includes in.addition V to the shaft 7 thebearing blocks 8 which are formed with bores ,through ,which the shaft 7 turnably. extends and V which support .the shaftjand thus the cylinder 20,11 for rotary movement. `The side walls of the Vmachine 1 are formed withve-rtical guide-ways in which the `blocks Sare guidedjfor'verticalrnovement, and springs 9 press .downwardlyon'the' blocks Sto urge themdownw-ardly. The

`side walls 'of the machine ljixedly carry brackets 14) which engage the upper ends of the springs 9 so as tomaintain the latter vunder compression. With this arrangement the Vtreating roll means 6 Vis yieldablyfurged downwardly toi y Vward .theguide r-oll 4 shown Yin FIGA,` butatvthe same time the treating roll means can yield upwardly in opposition to the springs 9 when the above-mentioned bar and clamp pass between the guide roll 4 and the treating roll means 6. The connection of the hollow shaft 7 to the right block 8 of FIG. 1 is maintained Huid-tight by a suitable sealing gland 11. A tubular member 12 has at its left end, as viewed in FIG. l, an annular flange fixed as by welding or the like to the right face of the right block 8 of FIG. 1 in a fluid-tight manner, and this ange of the tubular member 12 surrounds the open end of the hollow shaft 7. The tubular member 12 is connected fluid-tightly to a flexible conduit 13 so that the member 12 can move vertically with the right block 8 of FIG. 1.

A supply means is provided for supplying treating liquid to the interior of the cylinder 20, 21, and this supply means includes in addition to the hollow interior of shaft 7 and its perforations 24 and in addition to the tubular member 12 and the conduit 13, a chamber 14 and a tank 18 communicating with the chamber 14 through the conduit 17 which is fixed to the tank 18 and the chamber 14. Any suitable structure such as the side wall of the machine 1 supports the tank 18. A valve means cooperates with the supply means for automatically regulating the ow of treating liquid to the treating roll means 6, and in the illustrated preferred example this valve means takes the form of a float valve 15 guided for vertical movement coaxially with the tube 17 by an unillustrated conventional guiding structure and cooperating with the valve seat 16 formed by the bottom end of the conduit 17. When the treating liquid which flows from the tank 18 through the conduit 17 into the chamber 14 reaches in the latter, and thus in the cylinder 20, 21, the level shown in FIG. 1 the float valve 15 engages the seat 16 to close the conduit 17 and thus terminate the flow of treating liquid from the tank 18. As the treating liquid is consumed its level in the chamber 14 and cylinder 20, 21 will become lower so that the valve 15 will move, down and additional of felt and of the perforations or holes 27 are suited to the viscosity of the particular treating liquid. The perforations or holes 27 are formed by inwardly struck portions of the sheet 23 which form the short tubular inwardly directed projections 28 shown in FIG. 3 defining perforations or holes 27. The tubular projections 28 extend into the layer of felt 22 to fix the latter to the sheet 23. The springs 9 and blocks 8 cooperate with the roll 4 to provide a radial pressure on the treating roll means 6 to press at least the treating liquid in the perforations or holes 27 out of lthe latter so that the treating liquid becomes distributed along the exterior surface of the sheet 23 to be received from this exterior surface by the lightsensitive layer engaging this surface.

As may be seen from FIG. 4, the several guide rolls 4 are arranged so as to form a guide means guiding the strip 3 along the path indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 4. A plurality of treating tanks 29-31 and treating roll means 6 are distributed along this path with the plurality of treating roll means 6 alternating along the path of movement of the strip 3 with the tanks 29-31 so that before moving from one tank to the next the light-sensitive layer carried by the strip 3 will engage a treating roll means 6. The several tanks 29-31 may respectively contain a developing bath, a hypo or fixing solution, and a rinsing solution. The roll means 6 between the tanks 29 and '30 may apply a short stop treating liquid, the roll means 6 between the tanks 30 and 31 may apply a hardening solution, and the roll means 6 shown at the right in FIG. 4 may apply a wetting agent. A tank-type developing machine which conventionally can provide only three treatments can thus be easily converted with the structure of the invention so as to provide three further treatments.

treating liquid will flow from the tank 18. The space 14a i above the liquid in the chamber 14 communicates through a vertically extending tube 19 with the outer atmosphere.

The treating roll means 6 includes in addition to the hollow perforated cylinder 20, 21 a layer of felt 22 which surrounds and engages the perforated cylindrical wall 21 and which extends between the end walls 20 which are fixed to the cylindrical wall 21, this layer of felt 22 being, for example, a material known under the trade name Vlieselin. A yieldable cylindrical plastic sheet 23 sur-v rounds and engages the layer of felt 22 and is formed with perforations 27 distributed throughout the cylindrical sheet 23. Y

The treating liquid, which may be a regenerating or recovery liquid, which reaches the interior of the hollow shaft 7 flows through the perforations 24 thereof into the interior of the cylinder 20, 21 and through the perforations 26 of the cylinder 21 into the layer of felt 22.l Fromthe latter the liquid iiows through the perforations or holes 27 to the exterior surface of the cylindrical plastic sheet 23. The perforations 26 are uniformly distributed over It is only necessary to mount the several treating roll means 6 in the manner described above and shown in FIG. 1 in order to convert a conventional tank-type developer to the structure shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates a rolltype developer constructed according to the present invention and guiding the strip 3, which carries the light-sensitive layer, along a straight line from the supply spool 33 to the takeup spool 36 which may be driven in any suitable way to pull the strip 3 fromthe supply roll unto the take-up spool. The light-Sensitive layer carried by the strip 3 is located at the upper side of the substantially straight portion of the strip 3 extending between thespools 33 and 36. Along the path of movement of the strip 3 are arranged three roll assemblies 3,4V which are adjustably movable in anyrsuitable way along the 'path of movement of the strip 3 and a fourth roll assembly 3SV which is stationary. Each of the roll assemblies 34, 35 includes a plurality of guide rolls 37 engaging the underside of the strip 3 and at least one treating roll means 6 having the structure described above and communicating in the same` way with the supply means for the treating liquid. vThe assemblies 34 may include additional pressure rolls 38. Of course, the treating rolls 6 of the several assemblies are urged downwardly by the spring means 8, 9 described above. The several assemblies 34 are supported by unillustrated'horizontal guides which support the several assemblies 34 for horizontal shifting movement this case a sizeof 0.1 mm. is preferred. The parts 7, l20 and 21 may be made of known plastic materials which are 'thickness of between 0.05 and 0.5 mm., a thickness of 0.10

mm., being preferred. This particular materialV while being strong and wear-resistant is at the same time extremely flexible and can adapt itself to any configuration.

Thus, the above-mentioned bar and clamp can engage the f -sheet 23 and deformthe same without causing any injury to the sheet 23. The size ofthe interstices in the layer Vindependently of each other, these assemblies then being releasably fixed intheir adjusted positions, so that in this way it -is possible to regulate the distance between all-of the r'oll assemblies and thus regulate the treating time of vthe treating liquids.

According to the embodiment of the invention diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 6; the roll-type developing machine' 32a includes a plurality of treating roll means 6 which are yieldably urged downwardly in the manner described above in connection with FIG. 1 but which cannot move to the right or left, as viewed in FIG. 6. A plurality of guide rolls 39 alternate with the treating rolls 6, and each guide roll 39 is supported for rotary movement by a carriage or slide 40. Each slide 40 has at its ends downwardly ldirected ears which turnably carry the guide roll 39, and the bottom face a of each slide portion is spaced slightly from the surface .of the guide -roll 39 over approximately the upper half thereof in the manner shown diagrammatically in `FIG. 6. Stationary guides 41 cooperate with theslides 40 tov guide the latter for vertical `movement so that it is possible to adjust the elevations of theguide rolls 39, and the slides 40 may axes. `The belt 42 also passes "around a guide roll 45` which is horizontally Ashiftable so that it can be adjustably -xed in a -desired .horizontal position, and the belt is also guided around a horizontal-ly `shiftable roll 46 urged to lthe left, as viewed in FIG. 6, by one or two springs 47 rconnected-to the .shaft which carries the roll 46 and to a stationary bar 48 so that `the spring means 47'maintains the belt 42 -tensioned while at the same time it is pos-sible -to move the rolls 39 vertically whilethebelt 42 yields. By adjusting the -Vertical positions of the rolls 39 it is possible to control the several treatment times. A guide 49 guides the strip 3 with-the upwardly directedilightsensitive layer carried thereby from thesupply spool 33 to the belt 42 while a guide V50 guides Vthestrip from the last treating-roll means 6 tothe take-up' spool 36. The roll Vmay be shifted to adjust the tension ofthe spring means 47 so that there is a `suticient amount of the belt 42 to accommodate any desired elevations of the rolls 39. The guides 41 in addition to guiding the slides 40 also guide the strip 3. Theband 42 may be driven in any suitable lway andV instead of the mechanical guides it is .The developing machine illustrated diagrammatically in-FIG. 7 is identical with that of FIG. 6 except that the treating roll means 6 include in addition'to the structure f 6 It will be understood that each `of the elements Vdescribed above, or twoor more together, may also nd a Auseful application in other `types of developers differing from the types describedlabove.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as ,embodied in photographic developers, it is not intended .to be limited to the` details shown, since various modifications andstructural changes may be made with- `out departing in any way from the spirit-of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal thelgist of thepresent invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt Vit for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint ,of prior art, fairly constitute essential Vcharacteristics ofthe generic or specic aspects of this invention and, therefore, 4such adaptations should and are described above distributing rolls'51 which engage fric-` tionally the` outer plastic` perforated sheets 23 topreceive thetreating liquid ,therefrom andto transfer the treating material. Y v -Y i The above-.describedstructure of the invention is priliquid with veven greateruniformity to thelight-sensitive.

' `marily .intended for the. development of photographic r paper.

for the development of iilr'n` and is suitable: for blackaud-fwhite or color developingproc'esses, and in particular for 'reversal development..-l a "As compared to conventional tank-'type developing machines, the manufacturingicostno'f roll-type developing machinesv according"totheinvention is reduced lby 'ap-VA It can also be used,` however, in the samev way intended to be comprehended within the meaning Vand range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by' Letters Patent'is:

1. For use in aV machine for developing light-sensitive ,materials, in combination, a lhollow cylinder having a cylindrical wall `formed with perforations having a diameter of between 0.3 and 3 mm.; means supporting said cylinder Vfon-rotation about its -axisra layer of felt cover- `ing said cylinder wall; Yand a cylindrical, plastic, yieldable' sheet surrounding and. engaging said layer of felt kand having inwardly extending, short tubular portions liquid supplied tothe interior of said cylinder will flow through the perforated wall thereof to the layerof felt and/fromv the latter through thev perforations in said plasticV sheetto the exterior surface thereof to be applied to a light-sensitive Vmaterial engaging said sheet.

2. For use in a machine fordeveloping light-sensitive materials, in'combination, a hollow cylinder having` a perforated cylindrical wall; means vsupporting said cylinsheet pierced with holes Vand'surrounding and engaging said layer of feltand havinginwardly extending, short Y polypropylene, and polycarbonate' said lsheet having a thickness of between 0.05 and .0.5 mm., whereby a treatproximately 50%.v All of ythe rolls/occupyV only a small." amount ofspace an-d are easily accessible. Above;all, f

the consumptionr of treating liquids'is relatively small. i Gnly fresh solutionsare applied toithe 'light-sensitive material so that-the developing andv treatment'is 'always i uniform..v Servicing [and :checking of 'the installation for proper `operation is,` practically unnecessary. f

Instead ofganpatomaticjoat valve mean`s,'whi ch Ais ,preferre' d, `it is also .possible to use'. 'a 'known metering ldevicewhich'` delivers zahl-amount `of treating liquid -according to the speed ofrnovementfof the paperay Ikv liquid is distributed substantially uniformly Vover Vthe exterior surface of the plasticsheet 23. aThisclis'tributionr is dependent upon the size and,rumberfof'perforationsv l.ing liquid suppliedftothefinterior of said cylinder'will y ow vthrough. the perforated'wall thereof into the layerof felt andfrom the-latter through the perforated, cylin- Y v drical, plastic sheet to the exterior' surfacethereof to vbe `applied tov la lightsensitive material engaging the ex- `terior surface of said sheet. i f

3. For use infa machinefor developing light-"sensitive materials, in combinationfa hollow'cylinder having arperf, foratedA cylindrical walk-'means supporting Ysaid cylinder for rotation about its axis; a `layer of feltcovering said cylindrical wall; and a yieldable, plastic,cylindrical'sheet surrounding andengaginglsad layer'offeltand havinginf A j wardly "extending," short tubular. portions extending into the layerofi felt and defining perforations which vpass throughithe plastic sheetso thata'treating liquid supf Vplied to the interior of said cylinder will flow through the' perforated cylindrical wall thereof into said `layer of,- felt and'from the latter through the tubularportions of 'said sheetl to theV exterior surface thereof to be applied to light-sensitive material engaging the exterior surface of. f

said sheet.l Y f f V4. For use in amachine for developing light-sensitive materials', in combination, a hollow cylinder having a per# f for'ated cylindrical wall; a hollow perforated shaft 4extending coaxially through'and carrying said cylinder; la

layer of feltsurrounding and engaging said cylindrical Awall of said cylinder; a yieldable, plastic, cylindrical sheet surrounding and engaging said layer 0f felt and having inwardly extending, short tubular portions extending into the layer of felt and defining perforations which pass through the plastic sheet; and supply means cornmunicating with the interior of said shaft for supplying thereto a treating liquid which flows through the perforations of said shaft into said cylinder and through the perforated wall thereof into said layer of felt to flow from the latter through the perforations in said plastic 'sheet to the exterior surface thereof to be applied to light-sensitive material engaging said exterior surface of said plastic sheet.

5. For use in a machinefor developing light-sensitive 'materials, in combination, a hollow cylinder having a 'perforated cylindrical wall; a hollow perforated shaft eX- tending coaxially through and carrying said cylinder; a

Vlayer of felt surrounding and engaging said cylindrical `through the plastic sheet; supply means communicating `with the interior of said shaft for supplying thereto a treating liquid which ilows through the perforations of vsaid shaft into said cylinder and through the perforated wall thereof into said layer of felt t0 flow from the lat- 4ter through the perforations in said plastic sheet to the lsupply means for regulating the flow of treating liquid lfrom said supply means to said shaft.

6. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said automatic valve means is a float valve means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 989,685 4/11 Zittle et al 118-258 1,147,161 7/ 15 Goldsmith 118-244 XR 1,570,857 1/26 Perkins 118--258 1,847,833 3/32 Horst 95-94 2,125,206 7/38 Stobb 118-258 X 2,217,552 10/40 Horton 29-115 2,464,040 3/ 49 Huebner 118-258 2,781,192 2/ 57 Gillillan.

2,926,628 3/ 60 Black et al 118--244 2,928,329 3/60 Limbach 95-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 821,088 9,/59 Great Britain.

VWILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner.

EVON C. BLANK, Examiner. 

3. FOR USE IN A MACHINE FOR DEVELOPING LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIALS, IN COMBINATION, A HOLLOW CYLINDER HAVING A PERFORATED CYLINDRICAL WALL; MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CYLINDER FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS AXIS; A LAYER OF FELT COVERING SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL; AND A YIELDABLE, PLASTIC, CYLINDRICAL SHEET SURROUNDING AND ENGAGING SAID LAYER OF FELT AND HAVING INWARDLY EXTENDING, SHORT TUBULAR PORTIONS EXTENDING INTO THE LAYER OF FELT AND DEFINING PERFORATIONS WHICH PASS THROUGH THE PLASTIC SHEET SO THAT A TREATING LIQUID SUPPLIED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CYLINDER WILL FLOW THROUGH THE PERFORATED CYLINDRICAL WALL THEREOF INTO SAID LAYER OF FELT AND FROM THE LATTER THROUGH THE TUBULAR PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET TO THE EXTERIOR SURFACE THEREOF TO BE APPLIED TO LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIAL ENGAGING THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID SHEET. 